After years of being kicked around by the rest of the National League, in 1969 the New York Mets emerged as the game’s most unlikely World Series Champions. Granted, the Mets had an all-star pitching rotation headed by future Hall of Famers Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan, but the rest of the team consisted of middling journeymen whose career years happened to occur at the same moment - the magical summer of 1969. The NL East seemed to be wrapped up by a strong Cubs team, but the Mets steadily gained ground, winning the division by 8 games. Next they faced Hank Aaron and the Braves in the first-ever NLCS and promptly swept them 3-0. Waiting for them was an experienced Baltimore Orioles team that boasted not only a first-rate mound corps but a devastating lineup of heavy hitters as well. In the Series, those journeymen Mets truly shined, with Tommie Agee making two mystifying catches to rob Baltimore of at least five runs in Game 3 and Ron Swoboda and Cleon Jones’ clutch hitting proving all the difference as New York won in 5 games. Baseball writers struggled to find words to describe this team that upset the natural order of things, but New York fans got it right when they called them their “Miracle Mets.” This Rawlings William White Official National League ball has been signed in blue ball point by 16 members of the Miracle Mets, including Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Jerry Koosman, Ron Taylor, Ron Swoboda, Art Shamsky, Wayne Garrett, Ed Charles, Al Weis, Cleon Jones, Ken Boswell, Donn Clendenon, Tommie Agee, Bud Harrelson, Ed Kranepool and coach Joe Pignatano.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.